Posts Tagged ‘baseball’

SUNY Canton students and staff are leading several fundraising initiatives and donation drives to assist Puerto Rico in the wake of Hurricane Maria.

SUNY Canton senior Maurizio M. Paniconi-Pagan from San Juan is partnering with New York Gov. Andrew M. Cuomo’s Empire State Relief and Recovery Effort to organize a donation drive on campus to collect supplies.

“My family was very lucky in comparison to many others,” he said. “I know people who have lost everything.”

After learning about the devastation, Paniconi-Pagan said he felt helpless being so far away from home.

“I wanted to get on a plane and be with my family, but that wasn’t possible. So, I began working on this fundraiser as a way to help.”

Donations are welcome from the community, and drop-off locations will be available until Oct. 27. At this time, only the following items are being accepted:

Batteries, flashlights and portable lanterns

Diapers and baby wipes

Cases of bottled water

Feminine hygiene products

All items must be unopened and in their original packaging. Drop-off locations are located at Chaney Dining Hall, Miller Campus Center Room 134, Roos House (Convocation, Athletic and Recreation Center), and French Hall Room 100. Financial donations to purchase supplies will also be accepted in Miller Campus Center Room 224. For more information, call (315) 386-7608.

Online students who would like to donate can contact Coakley’s Ace Hardware in Canton by phone at (315) 386-8161 and receive 15 percent off orders for portable lanterns, batteries, flashlights or cases of water. The items will be set aside and picked up by volunteers.

The SUNY Canton men’s baseball team is also organizing a t-shirt fundraiser to benefit the Clemente Foundation, a nonprofit organization that supports a host of charities, including hurricane relief aid groups. Three members of the team hail from Puerto Rico and, in 2016, two players traveled with the Roos to the island in 2016 to compete in the inaugural Clemente Cup competition. To purchase a commemorative Clemente Cup shirt ($30 each), contact Men’s Baseball Head Coach Joe Carbone at carbonej@canton.edu or (315) 386-7396.

In addition, SUNY Canton Admissions Director Melissa Evans is organizing a fundraiser to aid in equine care on the island in coordination with American Association of Equine Practitioners. The organization has established a disaster relief fund to help horses and their owners recover from storm damage with feed and vet supplies. Contact Evans for more information at evansm@canton.edu or (518) 495-7669.

About SUNY Canton

SUNY Canton is Northern New York’s premier college for career-driven bachelor’s degrees, associate degrees and professional certificate programs. The college delivers quality hands-on programs in engineering technology, health, management and public service and recently received number one rankings in library resources, library services and tutoring services in the SUNY Student Opinion Survey. The college’s faculty members are noted for their professional real-world experience in addition to outstanding academic credentials. SUNY Canton OnLine offers hundreds of flexible and convenient courses as well as 13 exclusively online degrees. The college’s 15 athletic teams compete at the NCAA Division III level and are conference members of the newly formed American Collegiate Athletic Association.

The family of National Baseball Hall of Famer Roberto Clemente visited SUNY Canton Wednesday.

Clemente’s widow, Vera, and their son, Roberto Clemente Jr., made the trip to the U.S. from Puerto Rico to visit Roberto Jr.’s son, Roberto Clemente III, who is a freshmen at SUNY Canton and will play baseball for the College next semester.

The visit marked Vera’s first visit to the North Country. She said she loves the people and will return to watch her grandson play baseball in the spring. Vera and Roberto Jr. are also planning to take part in a book signing in Watertown Saturday, Nov. 16.

During the visit, the two also met with the Athletic department’s staff and discussed SUNY Canton and Puerto Rican culture.

The SUNY Canton Athletic Department with the Clementes.

The legendary Roberto Clemente Sr. was born in Puerto Rico and played right field for 18 seasons with the Pittsburgh Pirates. He was inducted to the National Baseball Hall of Fame in 1973 after his death in 1972. Widely known for his humanitarian work, Clemente died while on a flight that was delivering aid to earthquake victims in Nicaragua.

Roberto Clemente III said he has learned a lot from his grandfather’s legacy and wants to carry on his traits of being a man of character.

About SUNY Canton

SUNY Canton is Northern New York’s premier College for career-driven bachelor’s degrees, associate degrees and certificate programs. The College delivers quality hands-on programs in engineering technology, health, management, and public service to students in the North Country, New York State, and beyond. Faculty members are noted for their professional real-world experience in addition to their academic credentials. SUNY Canton OnLine offers hundreds of flexible and convenient courses as well as eight exclusively online bachelor’s degrees. The College’s 14 athletic teams compete in state-of-the-art facilities as provisional members of the NCAA Division III and the USCAA.